Previewing the biggest game all season for #3 Notre Dame

MIAMI, FL.– Notre Dame has surprised us all, going 8-1 up to this point and earning the third spot in the College Football Playoff Ranking for two consecutive weeks. Last week’s home game against Wake Forest was a gritty win that was well deserved for the Irish. Notre Dame now has the toughest game of the schedule when traveling to Miami to take on the #7 Hurricanes.

Saturday will be a make it or break it game for Notre Dame. If they win, they for sure are going to stay in the Top-3 and possibly move up to #2 in the College Football Playoff Rankings. If they lose, they could have an Ohio State type of fall, dropping a minimum of seven spots.

If the Irish want a shot at winning, they will need to do so with a healthy Heisman candidate Josh Adams. Adams hardly played in last week’s game against Wake Forest, dealing with concussion-type symptoms. These symptoms are not expected to be a concern for Adams, and he should be a go on Saturday. Let’s hope that he can play at his best when needed most.

Breaking down the Team Statistics

Team Stats

Points Per Game

41.3

31.5

Points Allowed Per Game

18.4

17.6

Total Yards

495.2

461.6

Yards Passing

170.4

288.3

Yards Rushing

324.8

173.4

Yards Allowed

375.6

367.6

Pass Yards Allowed

245.3

197.6

Rush Yards Allowed

130.2

170.0

When comparing Notre Dame to Miami, a number of categories in which favors one team is split right down the middle at 4 apiece. The Irish score a ton more points, while tallying up the most yards, and doing so with nearly double the number of rushing yards per contest. The Hurricanes have Notre Dame’s number on defense. They allow fewer points, passing yards, and total yards of offense. It should be a fun matchup to watch.

The ESPN Football Power Index Matchup Predictor currently gives Notre Dame a 61.2%-38.8% chance of winning the game on Saturday. It’s not the highest chance they’ve seen all year, but it’s still a decent shot.